Guide plate apparatus



A ril 2, 1968 L. R. WALSTROM GUIDE PLATE APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG: 3

Filed March 7, 1966 FIEZJ INVENTOR. Zia/5 1E Mu $720M BY I WWW L. R. WALSTROM GUIDE PLATE APPARATUS A ril 2, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 23 INVENTOR. 4554/5 A. M41572;

Filed March '7, 1966 irmeweys United States Patent Ofifice 3,375,564 Patented Apr. 2, 1968 3,375,564 GUIDE PLATE APPARATUS Leslie R. Walstrom, Minnetonka, Minn., assignor to Fabri-Tek Incorporated, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Mar. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 532,315 7 Claims. (Cl. 29-203) This invention is concerned with threading apparatus, and more particularly with guide plate apparatus for the straight line threading of toroidal magnettic cores in rows and columns.

The use of toroidal magnetic cores in magnetic memory arrays is well known in the art. Such cores are usually threaded with lines or wires by placing the cores on a core holding member, the cores being angularly disposed to each other such that a needle bearing a threading line can run straight through the apertures in the toroidal cores. The threading is commonly accomplished by hand, and due to human error and the fragility of the cores, it is not unusual to have the needle miss the aperture and strike the body of the core to damage or displace the core.

To overcome the above disadvantage, this invention provides apparatus in the form of interstitial members mounted on a plate. The plate is placed on the core holding member such that the interstitial members, which may be in the shape of a lozenge with rounded corners, rest on the core holding member in interstices formed by the cores. The interstices are substantially filled by the lozenge shaped members, with space remaining to allow the straight line threading of the core. The interstitial members block the body of the cores from a needle strayed from the threading path, and deflect the needle through the core aperture.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portion of an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an orthogonal view of an enlargement of a portion of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan sectional view of the embodiment of this invention with the apparatus placed for threading of core rows; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view of the embodiment of this invention with the apparatus placed for the straight line threading of the core columns.

In FIG. 1 there is shown a plate 10. There is also shown in plate an aperture 12. Mounted on plate 10 are a plurality of interstitial members 16, in the general shape of lozenges with rounded corners. Also mounted on plate 10 are a plurality of guide members 18, in the general shape of triangles with rounded corners.

In FIG. 1 there is also shown a core holding member 11, having formed therein an aperture 13. There are shown held by core 11 a plurality of toroidal magnetic cores 19.

In FIG. 2 there is again shown plate 10 and member 11. Plate 10 is again shown having mounted thereon and extending therefrom, interstitial members 16, and guide members 18. Member 11 is again shown having mounted thereon the plurality of cores 19. Cores 19 are angularly disposed to allow straight line threading thereof by lines or wires 22. There is also shown in FIG. 2 a plurality of slots 21 in member 11, slots 21 being aligned with the straight line threading path of the rows of cores. It will be understood that the cores 19 are arranged in rows and columns as is common for such cores in a magnetic memory array. Also shown in FIG. 2 is a dotted line representation of interstitial members 16 as disposed in the interstices formed by cores 19 when held by member 11 in the proper angular disposition. The angular disposition shown is that in which each core is in opposing relation with its adjacent cores.

In FIG. 3 there is again shown core holding member 11 including slots 21 and cores 19. In this view plate 10 has been placed on top of member 11 such that members 16 rest on member 11 and in the interstices formed by cores 19. In this sectional view plate 10 has been cut away. Lines 22 are again shown threading the rows of cores 19. Apertures 12 and 13 (not shown in FIG. 3) can be used for proper alignment of plate 10 and member 11 when they are placed together.

The drawing of FIG. 4 is precisely similar to that of FIG. 3 with the exception that plate 10 has been removed, turned 90 and replaced on core holding member 11 such that a plurality of lines 23 may now be straight line threaded through the columns of cores 19.

The operation of the apparatus of this invention can best be described with reference to all of the figures of the drawings. To commence threading of a core memory array, cores 19 are first placed in position on core holding member 11. Plate 10, containing interstitial members 16 and guide members 18, is then placed on core holding member 11 such that the extending interstitial members 16 substantially fill the interstices formed by cores 19, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2, and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Looking first at FIG. 3, it is apparent that guide members 18 will provide a channeled path through which a needle bearing lines 22 will be directed toward the apertures in a row of cores 19. As the row of cores 19 is being threaded, the projections of the lozenge shaped interstitial members 16 will prevent a misguided needle from damaging or displacing cores 19. Also, members 16 will deflect a threading needle back toward the aperture in the subsequent core.

After the rows of cores 19 have been threaded with wires or lines 22, plate 10 is removed, turned 90, and replaced on core holding member 11, again with interstitial members 16 placedv in interstices formed by cores 19. Now the same interstices 16, and guide members 18, allow threading of columns of cores 19 with lines or wires 23. The effect of members 16 and 18 is again to provide a means for accurately guiding the threading needle.

Note that member 11 has been provided with a plurality of slots 21. In the embodiment shown, the slots are aligned with the straight line threading path of rows of cores -19. Therefore, when plate 10 is turned 90, such as from FIG. 3 to FIG. 4, interstitial members 16 will rest on plate 11, and retain wires or lines 22 within slots 21. If it is not desired to place slots 21 in member 11, then when plate 10 is turned 90, such as from FIG. 3 to FIG. 4, interstitial members 16 would serve the function of holding down wires 22 during the threading of wires 23 and would rest on wires 22 as well as member 10. If desired, further slots similar to slots 21 could be made in member 11 aligned with the threading path of columns of cores 19. This would be useful if it was desired to thread either the rows .or columns first.

It is important to note that the particular embodiment shown is only a preferred embodiment, and that similar forms can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the lozenge or diamond shaped interstitial members 16, with rounded corners, could take several forms which would accomplish the same purpose, which purpose has been stated to be to protect the cores from damage and displacement by a misguided needle. Further, the use of the guide means of the apparatus of this invention, which guide means comprises the interstitial members and the guide members, enables faster threading of magnetic memory arrays using toroidal magnetic cores, at greater etficiency, thus decreases the cost of such memories.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: .1. In core threading apparatus in which a plurality of toroidal cores are arranged in rows and columns and held on edge by core holding means, adjacent cores being angularly disposed to permit straight line threading of the rows and the columns, and in which needle means are used to thread the rows and columns, needle guiding apparatus comprising:

interstitial means; means for selectively placing said intersttial means in interstices formed by the cores to selectively permit straight line threading of the row and the columns; and portions of said interstitial means adapted to block a misguided threading needle from the cores to prevent damage and displacement thereof. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which: said interstitial means are substantially in the shape of a lozenge with rounded corners. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said means for selectively placing said interstitial means comprises:

a plate having extending therefrom a plurality of said interstitial means; said plate selectively placed over the core holding means such that said interstitial means rest on the core holding means in interstices formed by the cores for straight line threading of the rows and columns, whichever is selected to be threaded first; and said plate adapted to be removed and replaced on the core holding means, at an angle 90 from the original placement, such that said interstitial means rest on the core holding means and the first threaded lines in interstices formed by the cores for straight line threading of the rows and columns, whichever is selected to be threaded second.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 including:

slots formed in the core holding means;

said slots being aligned with the rows and columns and adapted to receive the first threaded lines so that when said plate is replaced said interstitial means rest on the core holding means and restrain the first threaded lines in said slots.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 including:

slots formed in the core holding means;

said slots being aligned with the rows and columns,-

whichever is selected to be threaded first, and adapted to receive the first threaded lines so that when said plate is replaced said interstitial means rest on the core holding means and restrain the first threaded lines in said slots.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 in which:

said interstitial means are substantially in the shape of a lozenge with rounded corners.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 including:

a plurality of substantially triangular shaped guide members;

said members extending from and in spaced relation on said plate; and

said members being on the periphery of said interstitial members for guiding a threading needle into alignment with a first core of a plurality of cores to be straight line threaded.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,985,948 5/1961 Peters 29604 3,174,214 3/1965 Davis 29-203 3,276,104 10/1966 Skogstad et a1. 29-203 THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN CORE THREADING APPARATUS IN WHICH A PLURALITY OF TOROIDAL CORES ARE ARRANGED IN ROWS AND COLUMNS AND HELD ON EDGE BY CORE HOLDING MEANS, ADJACENT CORES BEING ANGULARLY DISPOSED TO PERMIT STRAIGHT LINE THREADING OF THE ROWS AND THE COLUMNS, AND IN WHICH NEEDLE MEANS ARE USED TO THREAD THE ROWS AND COLUMNS, NEEDLE GUIDING APPARATUS COMPRISING: INTERSTITIAL MEANS; MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY PLACING SAID INTERSITTIAL MEANS IN INTERSTICES FORMED BY THE CORES TO SELECTIVELY PERMIT STRAIGHT LINE THREADING OF THE ROW AND THE COLUMNS; AND 